


The Only Possible Choice

by Bored94



Series: Joi ga joy [4]
Category: Gintama
Genre: Angst, Gen, Hurt No Comfort, Joui War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 21:40:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29907468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bored94/pseuds/Bored94
Summary: It's the end of the Jōi war, Sakamoto got injured and the left the front. Takasugi, Katsura and Gintoki decide to try and save Shōyō from the Tenshōin Naraku, but everything goes wrong.The scene of the cliff from Gintoki's point of view.
Series: Joi ga joy [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2181342
Kudos: 5





	The Only Possible Choice

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [L'unica scelta possibile](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/772659) by Bored94. 



Once he finished eating, the Shiroyasha put his bowl with those of his comrades. Being alone was strange. To be fair, he wasn't really alone, his platoon was with him, but in the last few months he had always carried out joint actions with Katsura, Takasugi and Sakamoto, and it felt really strange that they were not with him at that moment, joking and teasing each other in front of the fire like before any battle. But the one that awaited him was not any battle.

There was a reason they separated. More then one, actually.

Sakamoto had sustained a serious injury to his right arm and was rushed to the nearest field hospital. Who knows if they could save his arm. Gin dismissed that thought shaking his head. He couldn't get distracted, Sakamoto would be fine. He always was somehow. Knowing him, if he could no longer wield a katana, he would start walking around with stolen Amanto guns, remaining the usual loud talker.  
Takasugi and Katsura had probably already reached the agreed positions. The next day it would be his turn to break through the enemy lines and join them.

He was sure they would be in trouble upon their return: they had abandoned their position, they were pursuing a private goal, and they had also involved their soldiers. Gintoki knew that after that story they would have to turn into deserters and go into hiding so as not to be executed.  
He got up and started walking towards his subordinates when he saw something approaching with the corner of his eye. He automatically put his right hand on the hilt of his katana, but soon realized it was a member of the Kiheitai. Not a good sign. The soldier stopped in front of him, panting, and Gin ordered to bring some water. As soon as the man had drunk and caught his breath, he began to speak.  
«Shiroyasha, I did everything I could to get there as soon as possible, but the enemy intercepted me and killed my horse. I managed to escape, but it took me much longer to reach this camp. Shiroyasha... I bring bad news, the general and the Rampaging Noble... they have been captured by the Tenshōin Naraku, our troops have been defeated.»  
Gin froze, it couldn't be. How could they wipe out so many soldiers in such a short time? How did they manage to capture Takasugi and Katsura? Who the hell were those people?  
Without even realizing what he was doing, he ran to the horses and galloped off in the direction pointed by the soldier. He knew that by doing so he was jeopardizing their mission, everything they had fought for in those four years, but he had made a promise to sensei Shōyō: he had to protect his friends until the return of the sensei. If he didn't save them, he would break that promise... they could try to free him again later.  
He reached his destination, so he slowed the pace of the animal and brandished his katana, all his senses were tense to the maximum in an attempt to catch even the slightest noise. The closer he got, the more restless he became: there was too much silence, it was unnatural. He had just finished formulating that thought when he was surrounded by about twenty enemies.  
Of course, a trap.  
He had galloped off without thinking and without a plan, but they were waiting for him. They knew that once he had heard of what happened to his brothers, he would come to free them. Gin knew he had been rash, but what other choice did he have?  
The Naraku began to attack him on several fronts, Gintoki fought back with all his strength, but for every enemy he killed, two more appeared, as if they materialized out of thin air. He wasn't going to be able to keep that pace for long. Suddenly, he heard screams behind him and took a quick look to get what was happening: he could see some of the Naraku behind him being killed by someone who had arrived unseen; they were so sure of their numerical superiority that they hadn't bothered to watch their backs. Gin was surprised to see that that someone were his soldiers. He had left on his own because he did not want to involve them further in that absurd story. By leaving without them he was trying to ensure that they would not be tried for desertion. They could have easily said that the generals had tricked them into that mission and then abandoned them. Apparently his soldiers didn't agree with that plan.  
«Forward!» he heard one of them scream. «Cover Shiroyasha's back!»  
Gin watched his men rush forward screaming at the enemy, killing anyone who came within range and trampling in their enthusiasm whoever fell to the ground.  
«General,» the soldier who had incited the platoon greeted him, approaching him during the battle, «did you really think we would let you fight alone? The messenger explained everything to us shortly after you left. We know what happened to the generals. We will help you free them.»  
The silver-haired samurai smiled and nodded, grateful. The two launched themselves into the fray again, the battle was still far from being lost.  
  
Or so it seemed. The Naraku kept appearing up from all sides and little by little the samurai were killed one after the other, leaving Gintoki alone to face the enemy. The White Demon put up a strenuous resistance, but they were too many and he was exhausted. They managed to disarm him and stun him. He received a sudden blow on the head and the last thing he saw was one of the men in black approaching with ropes.  
  
When he regained consciousness, he realized that he was sitting with his back against a tree, they had tied his hands together and his arms to his torso. He looked around, he was no longer where he was ambushed, they had moved him. He couldn't figure out where he was, but he was surprised to find that they hadn't locked him in a cell yet.  
What was their purpose?  
When they realized he was awake, they made him stand up, tied an end of a rope to the ropes that blocked his wrists and the other end to a saddle. Apparently, they had taken his soldiers' horses.  
But why didn't they put him on a horse while he was unconscious and take him away?  
The answer became obvious a few hours later: the fact that Gintoki was on foot forced them to move slower, but they did not show any kind of annoyance or haste. Initially Gintoki had thought this meant that their base was nearby, but after the first two hours of walking, he noticed that it wasn't case: his enemies' water bottles were full and he was sure that in the bags carried by the horses there was also food. They were trying not to tire the animals, but the road was still long. Gin kept wondering why they didn't move before he woke up: that way they were risking that he would find a way to escape and go back, given that he had seen the route so far.  
Did they believe that the fear for his friends' lives would stop him from running away? Or that he would follow them without rebelling because he knew he would join them?  
After another three hours of walking, however, he began to understand: he had noticed that every now and then one of the Naraku would throw furtive glances at him, as to check how he was holding up.  
Were they trying to tire him out?  
Gintoki straightened his shoulders and hid his weariness. After all, he had been in an exhausting fight only a few hours prior and five hours of walking weren't exactly relaxing, but he didn't want to let them know. After a while they finally stopped to let the horses drink and Gin took the opportunity to catch a breath, leaning against a tree. The moment of peace did not last long, after only a few minutes one of the Naraku approached him, forced him to drink a few sips of water and made him get up to get back on the road. They continued like that for hours, with a couple of breaks to let the horses rest and give the samurai enough food and water to keep him from fainting. When they finally reached their destination it was late at night and Gin could barely stand up: the temperature had dropped considerably and the cold had seeped under his clothes, his legs were shaking from exertion, and he could feel blisters under his feet. The ropes had started to chafe his wrists and the involuntary jerks of the horse did not improve the situation.  
How long had he walked?  
Ten hours? Twelve?  
He didn't care, he just wanted to stop. He wasn't at all sure he'd be able to take another step. A blow to the back of the head knocked him out for the second time that day and everything went dark.

This time he was really in a cell, the only source of light was a tiny window near the ceiling, the dark wooden door completely isolated him from the outside, making it impossible for him to tell if he was the only one locked in that place, whatever that place was.  
He tried to move and all his muscles ached, however he noticed that various parts of his body were bandaged. His captors had cleaned and taken care of his wounds, both those sustained during the fight, and the blisters on under his feet.  
Did they want him alive and able to walk?  
Where else did they want to take him?  
He swallowed, but his mouth and throat were completely dry. Looking around, he noticed that a few meters from him, within reach, there were a couple of bowls and some bread. Did they leave him some food?  
He took the bowl of water and drank half of it eagerly, risking to choke. He had to be more careful, he did not know how often they intended to feed him, that water could have been the only one he would receive until the next day. He put it aside and started gulping down the contents of the second bowl. He couldn't understand what it was, it looked like some kind of soup, but he didn't want to think about it: he was hungry and he was a prisoner, he couldn't afford to be picky, he needed every single bit of energy he could find. He had to be able to escape from there and free his friends.  
His fears turned out to be unfounded: they gave him water twice a day, along with that strange soup and bread. It wasn't even remotely enough to satiate him, but at least for the moment they seemed to need him alive and sufficiently strong. He was racking his brain, trying to figure out what they wanted from him, when the door opened for the first time since he was locked up and two Naraku entered. He dashed towards them, but suddenly the room started spinning.  
«Did you think we would come in without taking precautions? Get up,» one of the men ordered, as he grabbed him by one arm and his comrade by the other.  
_So the last meal was drugged_ he thought, as they abruptly made him stand and pushed him towards the exit. They walked in silence until they got outside, Gin was more and more confused. Why didn't they tie him up? Sooner or later the effect of the drug would wear off and there was nothing to stop him from trying to attack them again. They too knew that numerical superiority was not a problem, after all he had tried to free his friends on his own before his soldiers arrived... maybe they believed that without a weapon he wouldn't risk it? If he hadn't been so dazed by the drugs he would have laughed.  
They set out, this time the Naraku were also on foot. The blisters under his feet hurt, but he tried to ignore them. They had been walking for an hour when finally the effect of the drug began to disappear, when Gin finally felt lucid enough, he threw himself at one of his enemies, sending him crashing hard against a tree and taking his katana. He was surrounded in an instant, but that didn't bother him, he was ready to fight. He had to find Takasugi and Katsura. All of his muscles were tense, ready to open his way through the Naraku, when laughter caught his attention.  
«We couldn't have expected anything less from the famous Shiroyasha,» commented one of the men who got him out of his cell. «I suggest you put away that sword or we will have to kill your friends and your sensei» the White Demon gave him a look full of hatred. «You want to join your comrades, right? You don't need to fight. That's where we're taking you.» Gintoki looked at him, puzzled. Taking him to his comrades? What did they have in mind?  
«Please return the sword you stole from us,» the man said smoothly, as a second one struck him in his chest and snatched the katana from his hand. Apparently he had overestimated himself, the effect of the drug was not completely over, this combined with his injuries, the few hours of sleep, and little amount of food he ate in those last days had slowed him down. Maybe he could have killed a couple of them, but he would surely take a beating in that situation. «Much better. Don't worry, you'll be given a weapon soon.»  
Weapon? Did they want him to fight? Did they want him to fight for his and his friends' freedom? They probably thought that he was going to die and they wanted to enjoy the scene, like the cat playing with the mouse... but it could be an opportunity. And even if he didn't make it, maybe the other two would be able to take advantage of the situation to escape.  
Or did they want them to fight each other? He didn't like that option at all, but it wasn't a tragedy. If those bastards were stupid enough to give them weapons, they were in for a nasty surprise.  
The Naraku, apparently satisfied, motioned for the column to leave and they set off again. It was only a few hours later that they arrived at their destination.  
  


_They are trying in every way to tire me. They see me as a threat and want me to be too tired to rebel. Maybe the fight will take place tomorrow then... what if we try to flee tonight?_ He was so deep into his thought that he only realized they had arrived when the road began to slope. _Wait a minute... where am I?_ he looked around, there was no building nearby and they were going up a path that led to the top of a cliff. What was going on?  
  
He didn't have to wait long for the answer. One of the Naraku men put a katana in his hand, while the others pointed their shakujō at him.  
_So we're close,_ he thought. Trying to escape was useless, as he had already understood, so he kept walking until he stopped in front of a scene that made his blood freeze: it wasn't a duel, they were not going to make them fight against each other. Takasugi and Katsura were tied up on the ground, a little further on there was Shōyō on his knees, also tied up, with his back to them. His grip on the hilt wavered. No one else there but him was brandishing a weapon. No one seemed ready for a fight. What were they asking him to do?  
As if it wasn't clear enough.  
Shōyō's position couldn't be misinterpreted.  
It was painfully obvious what they were asking him to do, but if they really thought he was going to kill his friends and his sensei they were wrong. They would have to kill him. He heard someone talking, there was an Amantho standing in front of Shōyō.  
«Will your students choose to die in vain with you or will they decide to live, even at the cost of killing their sensei with their own hands?» the Amanto said, mocking the sensei. «Don't you think this is the perfect execution for an educator like you?» he gloated. 

For Gintoki, all the sounds were muffled, as if he wasn't really there. It couldn't end like that. All they had fought for, all their sacrifices and efforts... had meant nothing. And now what were they asking him? To decide whether to commit seppuku or kill Shōyō? Or did they want to see if he would try to fight?  
He tightened his grip on the hilt, if that was how it was meant to end, he would go down fighting. He couldn't kill Shōyō to save his life. He wasn't a coward, if he was going to die, he'd make sure he took as many Naraku with him as he could.  
The voice of the Amanto brought him back to reality.  « Choose whichever you prefer, your mentor or your friends. »   
Choose?  
Did they want him to choose who to save?  
How could they ask him... to choose between the man who he considered his father and the friends with whom he had grown up as if they were brothers?  
He could not think, he could feel the eyes of Katsura and Takasugi on him, waiting for his choice. But how could he choose? He just coul- a sudden memory flashed through his mind.  
_Protect our friends until I come back_ , Shōyō had told him that night, four years ago, when they had taken him away after burning the Shōka Sonjuku.  
He knew what he had to do, but the very idea made him want to run away. As in a dream he began to take a few steps towards his sensei, he didn't even feel like he was in control of his own body. He passed between Katsura and Takasugi who had now understood his choice, the purple-haired samurai screamed and pleaded. Gintoki had never heard him like that, but his words could not reach him. It was as if he was watching his friend beg someone that Gin didn't have the power to stop, he couldn't do anything but watch.  
He saw Shōyō turn to him and smile.  « Thank you » was the only thing he said to him.  
Gin felt his lips curl into a sad smile and his eyes fill with tears as he cut off the head of the man who had saved him so many years ago.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the timeline we rely on, taken from canon references and adapted a little bit (based on Gintoki's age):  
> \- 8 years old: Gintoki is found by Shōyō  
> \- 10/11 y.o.: Takasugi and Katsura arrive at Shōka Sonjuku  
> \- 16/17 y.o.: Shōyō is captured and the boys go to war  
> \- 21 y.o.: Shōyō's death, jōi4's separation, Gintoki surrenders himself to the Hitotsubashi  
> \- 22 y.o.: Gintoki settles in Kabuki-chō  
> \- 27 y.o.: he meets Shinpachi and Kagura  
> \- 30 y.o.: war against the liberation army  
> \- 32 y.o.: after time-skip  
> \- 34 y.o.: epilogue of the manga


End file.
